TOKYO January 21, 2011 - ANA, Japan’s leading airline, is to introduce fuel cell electric vehicles into its fleet of passenger courtesy cars to become one of the world’s pioneering eco-friendly airlines.

The initiative forms part of the government-backed Hydrogen Highway Project, which is designed to combat climate change by cutting carbon emissions from vehicle use.

ANA is the first Japanese airline to receive the Government’s ‘Eco-First *1’ certification and is participating in the Demonstration Program for Establishing a Hydrogen-Based Social System *2 – a series of initiatives funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), of which the Hydrogen Highway Project is one.

The electric vehicle experiment is one of a string of measures designed to make ANA Japan’s most environmentally-conscious airline. The carrier has already launched a Carbon Offset program enabling passengers on domestic routes to reduce their CO2 footprint.

Initially, the fuel-cell vehicles will be trialed with passengers flying with ANA during the period of January 29 to March 31, 2011, using the “Welcome-Home Limousine Taxi Service.” For more information about our “Welcome-Home Limousine Taxi Service,” please visit ANA website at http://www.ana.co.jp/eng/int/svc/oth_svc/taxi/index.html

An ANA spokesman said: “ANA is committed to helping combat climate change by improving the fuel efficiency of its aircraft. Now our passengers will be able to make their contribution by cutting CO2 emissions when they continue their journeys by road.”

*1 “Eco-First” is a program established by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment in April 2008 to promote environmental protection measures among corporations. In order to become certified, companies must make a commitment to the Minister of the Environment in connection with their climate change countermeasures and environmental protection initiatives. ANA Group became the first certified Eco-First company in the airline and transport industry in November 2008.

*2 This is a METI funded program in which selected institutions carry out regional projects in three areas - hydrogen production with fewer CO2 emissions, efficient transport and storage of hydrogen, and efficient hydrogen use - to verify their viability as future business models.

Image of Toyota FCHV, one of the model vehicles to be used on ANA’s service

To learn more about Hydrogen Supply/Utilization Technology (HySUT), please visit
http://hysut.or.jp/en/index.html